Debt ceiling news – live: House votes to approve McCarthy-Biden deal as opposition collapses

The bipartisan agreement to raise the $31.4trn US debt ceiling forged by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy passed a final vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The bill, which will also implement new federal spending cuts, cleared the chamber with 314 votes in favour of the legislation. It now heads to the Senate.

The narrowness of its passage from committee, which saw two Republicans break ranks to oppose it, underscored the need for Democrats to help it pass the House, where Republicans hold a slim majority of 222 to 213.

After 29 Republicans voted against the rules bill, Democrat lawmakers stepped in and added their votes to ensure that hurdle too was overcome.

Full congressional approval is required before Monday 5 June, when the Treasury Department could run out of funds to pay its debts for the first time in American history.

Party leaders have expressed confidence they will get enough votes to prevail but, should they fail, the Treasury might not be able to cover its payments, or be forced to prioritise, triggering economic chaos.

Key Points

• Debt limit bill advances in House by vote of 314-117

• Senate battle lying ahead after House passage

• What’s in the cliffhanger deal?

• McCarthy ally says White House got ‘schooled’ in debt negotiations

• Does this deal mean the end of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership?

'We’ll get it fixed in two years.': Trump responds to debt ceiling deal

08:30 , Stuti Mishra

Former president Donald Trump, in his first response to the debt ceiling deal passing, said he plans to get it "properly fixed" in two years, while also praising Kevin McCarthy for getting "something done".

Speaking at WHO radio in Des Moines, Iowa, as lawmakers were wrapping up debate on the House floor before the vote, the former president was asked what he thought about the deal.

“Well, it is what it is," he said in response, according to NBC news.

“It has passed. And I guess I knew it was going to passed … but we’ll get it properly fixed in two years,” Mr Trump added, as the deal was about to be passed.

Host Simon Conway asked Mr Trump about his statement earlier that he’d allow the country to default if there weren’t significant spending cuts.

Mr Trump said: “Well, I would have done that."

"I think it was an opportunity, but they got something done. Kevin [McCarthy] worked really hard," he added.

"I would have taken a different stance, but it’s done. … We’ll get it fixed in two years."

McCarthy suggests he'll push for more cuts and work requirements now

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

At a news conference, Kevin McCarthy suggested that his intention is to pursue additional spending cuts and implement new work requirements leveraging the fact that Democrats have voted for them in the broader debt ceiling deal.

"I think it’s wonderful that they voted for it, because they are now on record, so they can’t sit there and yell, 'This isn’t good.' So I’ll bring something back," he said.

"Let’s get the rest of the IRS agents, let’s get the rest of the work requirements, let’s cut more, because we are in a big debt," Mr McCarthy said.

"This is fabulous. This is one of the best nights I’ve ever been here. I thought it would be hard. I thought it’d be almost impossible just to get to 218. Now I've found there’s a whole new day here. We’ve woken them up."

Vote divides California’s Senate candidates

05:30 , John Bowden

As our correspondent on the ground in the Capitol Wednesday evening points out here, the debt ceiling compromise may become an issue in the California Senate race after two of the leading Democratic candidates voted against the bill — while one, Rep Adam Schiff, supported it.

Dan Bishop: Say goodbye to a unified GOP caucus

05:10 , John Bowden

As the reactions roll in following the House’s passage of the debt ceiling hike, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that Kevin McCarthy has something to worry about.

“He’s blown Republican unity to smithereens,” said Rep Dan Bishop, a conservative member, of the Speaker. “You can put that in terms of trust… It’s just something that is functionally destroyed.”

Conservative: My voters want me to oust McCarthy

04:50 , John Bowden

If Kevin McCarthy is resting on his laurels after Wednesday evening’s vote, he should listen to what House conservatives are saying about his future.

Rep Ken Buck put it plainly to reporters after the debt ceiling compromise passed:

“My constituents are furious and you know what’s so interesting about the calls in the district? They are not only ‘vote against this bill,’ but they are ‘take McCarthy out.’”

Biden issues statement on deal passage

04:30 , John Bowden

President Joe Biden released a statement on Wednesday shortly following the passage of his compromise on the debt ceiling with Kevin McCarthy.

“Tonight, the House took a critical step forward to prevent a first-ever default and protect our country’s hard-earned and historic economic recovery. This budget agreement is a bipartisan compromise. Neither side got everything it wanted. That’s the responsibility of governing. I want to thank Speaker McCarthy and his team for negotiating in good faith, as well as Leader Jeffries for his leadership,” said the president.

“This agreement is good news for the American people and the American economy. It protects key priorities and accomplishments from the past two years, including historic investments that are creating good jobs across the country. And, it honors my commitment to safeguard Americans’ health care and protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It protects critical programs that millions of hardworking families, students, and veterans count on,” his statement continues.

“I have been clear that the only path forward is a bipartisan compromise that can earn the support of both parties. This agreement meets that test. I urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible so that I can sign it into law, and our country can continue building the strongest economy in the world.”

McCarthy: ‘This is one of the best nights I’ve ever been here'

04:10 , John Bowden

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy projected an image of a politician on a victory lap at a late-night press conference Wednesday evening following the successful vote, and pledged to bring more funding cuts to the House floor for votes in the days ahead.

Maxwell Frost comments on debt ceiling after voting for compromise legislation

03:53 , John Bowden

Rep Maxwell Frost, a freshman congressman from Florida, spoke with The Independent after breaking with some other progressives and voting in favour of the debt ceiling compromise.

“It's a bill that, yes, it's gonna it's going to harm people and that's unfortunate but the Republicans put us in that situation,” he said.

He further contended that voters would be thinking about the concessions that Mr McCarthy extracted — including permitting reform for fossil fuel projects — come 2024.

McCarthy snipes at Biden for weeks of stalemate

03:16 , John Bowden

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy offered a brief comment to reporters after the vote passed Wednesday evening in which he urged Joe Biden to continue to negotiate with Republicans.

"I just hope he doesn't sit back and ignore people when they want to work with you,” he said.

Jamaal Bowman: Joe Biden had a ‘gun to his head'

02:47 , John Bowden

Congressman Jamaal Bowman, one of the progressive Democrats who voted against the debt ceiling compromise legislation Wednesday evening, told The Independent that President Joe Biden and his party faced a “lose-lose situation”.

“Listen, it was a lose-lose situation. He had a gun to his head, the debt ceiling [deadline] in the background...and McCarthy wanted to play politics by holding the global economy hostage. So McCarthy in this entire process was reckless. And yeah, they got some wins but the wins hurt the American people and American people are gonna remember in 2024.”

Final vote count comes in

02:28 , John Bowden

The final vote count on the McCarthy-Biden debt ceiling compromise package is in, with more than 300 members of the House of Representatives voting in favour.

In total, 314 members voted for the package, while 117 voted against it.

Debt ceiling compromise passes easily

02:19 , John Bowden

Despite predictions from Marjorie Taylor Greene and others, serious opposition to the debt ceiling compromise failed to jeopardise its passage Wednesday night, with the bill passing by a margin in the high double digits.

Voting begins

02:03 , John Bowden

Voting has begun on the legislation to raise the debt ceiling in the House.

Nicole Malliotakis: Don’t ‘allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good'

01:37 , John Bowden

New York Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis gave a floor speech Wednesday evening as the vote approached, and urged her colleagues with a familiar refrain: Don’t “allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good”.

She also highlighted what she said were important “conservative wins” in the legislation, including the rollback of funding meant to staff up the IRS and shore up the agency’s capabilities.

MTG: Deal hanging on by a thread

01:26 , John Bowden

Marjorie Taylor Greene described the efforts of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to drum up votes for the debt ceiling compromise legislation set to be voted on imminently by the House, and predicted that its passage would be narrow due to defections in both parties.

McCarthy hosted lawmakers for Chipotle summit

Thursday 1 June 2023 00:50 , John Bowden

It’s very possible — even likely — that the deal to help America stave off default on its loans was sold to on-the-fence lawmakers at one of several DC-area Chipotle restaurants, over chips and queso. Possibly also guacamole.

Mike Lee fumes at Democrats for rescuing debt ceiling deal

Thursday 1 June 2023 00:35 , John Bowden

Sen Mike Lee ripped into his party on Wednesday as Republicans and Democrats alike work to pass the compromise worked out by the White House and Kevin McCarthy.

What’s in the debt ceiling deal struck by Biden and McCarthy?

Wednesday 31 May 2023 23:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Weeks of sniping back-and-forth between the White House and the Republican majority in the House of Representatives has finally yielded a deal: America will not default on its debt obligations, should Congress successfully pass the legislation on Wednesday 31 May.

Here’s what the deal entails.

What’s in the cliffhanger deal struck by Biden and McCarthy to raise the debt limit?

Debt deal: Anti-poverty groups and progressives blast work requirements for aid to poor Americans

Wednesday 31 May 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

An agreement to raise the debt ceiling would expand the age bracket for eligibility for food assistance, adding a punitive and unnecessary barrier for poor Americans with only negligible savings for the federal government, advocacy groups have warned.

Alex Woodward reports.

Anti-poverty groups blast work requirements for aid to poor Americans in debt deal

ICYMI: McCarthy ally says they ‘schooled’ the White House on the debt ceiling

Wednesday 31 May 2023 22:40 , Eric Garcia, Capitol Hill

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his top negotiator pushed back on accusations that the debt limit agreement negotiated with the White House was insufficiently conservative.

Mr McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday before the evening vote on the legislation that the cuts were sufficiently conservative.

“This is the largest cut in American history,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju. He noted how the debt limit will be raised until 1 January 2025 in exchange for conservative policies.

“It also brings you work requirements on welfare,” he said. The agreement would increase the age for work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, for able-bodied adults without dependent children from 50 to 54

“I’ll bet you dinner that it actually saves more money,” he said since it reduces the states that have loopholes for work requirements.

At the same time, the agreement would exempt youth who were in the foster care system, veterans and people experiencing homelessness from work requirements. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that approximately 78,000 would gain benefits in an average month.

But Rep Byron Donalds (R - FL) told The Independent that he worried about the exemptions and said they should also be put in place for Medicaid.

“And I think that’s just a smart and prudent thing to do,” he said. “But when you expand eligibility for the program, at least the way CBO is putting it we’re actually taking a step backwards.”

Mr Donalds was part of a group of members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who held a press conference on Tuesday objecting to the bipartisan agreement.

Some Republicans have argued that the White House got essentially everything it wanted in the legislation. Rep Nancy Mace (R - SC) tweeted on Tuesday that the House Republicans negotiating the agreement “got outsmarted by a President who can’t find his pants.”

But Rep Garret Graves (R - LA), one of the two chief negotiators with the White House, told The Independent that GOP opponents of the deal were being unrealistic and said had they not negotiated the deal, President Joe Biden could have invoked the 14th amendment of the US Constitution for a clean debt limit increase or Democrats and a handful of moderates could have brokered a clean debt limit increase.

“So by doing so all you’re doing is playing into the hands of the White House,” he said. “Because if you keep going down this road, if you keep trying to sew this line, that’s simply not true that there’s some other option out there to save a gazillion dollars, all you’re doing is you’re moving towards default.”

Mr Graves also noted that along with work requirements, the agreement curtailed an increase in funding for the Internal Revenue Service that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act, among other provisions.

“They got schooled,” he said in reference to the Biden administration. He also said that Democratic support for the legislation did not mean that Democrats won in negotiations.

“This is the Democrats trying to put a happy face on it trying to pretend like the President got something and he’s a strong candidate for re-election,” he said. “And the reality is there is nothing in this bill for Democrats. Zero.”

Voices: The debt limit vote signals the beginning of the end for Kevin McCarthy

Wednesday 31 May 2023 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

If House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has one defining trait, it’s his eagerness to please. He has used this acumen to compensate for his lack of policy wonkery and other skills associated with being an effective congressional leader.

Eric Garcia asks if this might be his undoing?

The debt limit vote signals the beginning of the end for Kevin McCarthy

Which Republicans voted no?

Wednesday 31 May 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Debt limit bill advances in House with final vote set for later this evening

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:44 , Oliver O'Connell

The rules vote for the debt limit bill has passed the House of Representatives 241 votes to 187.

Democrats were key to ensuring the motion got across the finish line after 29 Republicans initially voted against it.

Reporting from Capitol Hill, Eric Garcia writes:

A handful of House Democrats joined Republicans to vote for the rule to allow for the debt limit increase to pass. A total of 189 Republicans voted for the rule that passed out of committee late Tuesday evening while 52 Democrats joined. This came as many Republicans have revolted against the agreement House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's team brokered with the Biden administration as insufficiently conservative for not cutting spending even more. The vote sets up a vote to happen later Wednesday evening

A final House vote on the actual debt limit bill will take place later tonight.

Here’s our guide to what’s in the package negotiated by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

What’s in the cliffhanger deal struck by Biden and McCarthy to raise the debt limit?

Stay tuned for final vote later tonight

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

McCarthy has votes to pass debt ceiling rules

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrats now voting for debt bill rules

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:24 , Oliver O'Connell

With 29 Republicans voting against the rules for the debt bill. Democrats have now begun voting and are now providing a major assist to its passing.

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:16 , Oliver O'Connell

28 Republicans have now voted against the debt bill rules.

Democrats remain in holding pattern

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

14 Republicans have voted No on the debt bill rule so far with no Democrats voting Yes.

McCarthy says deal is ‘victory'

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:58 , Oliver O'Connell

With debt bill rule vote underway, 11 Republicans vote no

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:57 , Oliver O'Connell

11 Republicans have voted No on the debt bill rule so far with no Democrats voting Yes.

Some moderate Democrats appear to be waiting in the chamber without voting to see if their votes are needed to make up for GOP defections on the rule.

McConnell expects bill in Senate tomorrow

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tells reporters: “We anticipate the bill passing [the House] and coming over to us as soon as tomorrow”

Cori Bush says she will vote no on debt limit bill

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Demcoratic Rep Cori Bush says she’ll be voting no on the debt limit bill.

“This agreement is far from a solution,” she says.

Watch LIVE: House debates debt ceiling bill

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Biden says ‘things are going as planned'

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Bernie Sanders says he cannot ‘in good conscience’ vote for the deal

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders releases a statement saying: “I cannot, in good conscience, vote for the debt ceiling deal.”

Mr Sanders goes on to say that the bill is unnecessary citing the much-vaunted authority of the president to eliminate the debt ceiling by invoking the 14th Amendment.

McCarthy ally says they ‘schooled’ the White House on the debt ceiling

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:03 , Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his top negotiator pushed back on accusations that the debt limit agreement negotiated with the White House was insufficiently conservative.

Mr McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday before the evening vote on the legislation that the cuts were sufficiently conservative.

“This is the largest cut in American history,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju. He noted how the debt limit will be raised until 1 January 2025 in exchange for conservative policies.

“It also brings you work requirements on welfare,” he said. The agreement would increase the age for work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, for able-bodied adults without dependent children from 50 to 54

“I’ll bet you dinner that it actually saves more money,” he said since it reduces the states that have loopholes for work requirements.

At the same time, the agreement would exempt youth who were in the foster care system, veterans and people experiencing homelessness from work requirements. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that approximately 78,000 would gain benefits in an average month.

But Rep Byron Donalds (R - FL) told The Independent that he worried about the exemptions and said they should also be put in place for Medicaid.

“And I think that’s just a smart and prudent thing to do,” he said. “But when you expand eligibility for the program, at least the way CBO is putting it we’re actually taking a step backwards.”

Mr Donalds was part of a group of members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who held a press conference on Tuesday objecting to the bipartisan agreement.

Some Republicans have argued that the White House got essentially everything it wanted in the legislation. Rep Nancy Mace (R - SC) tweeted on Tuesday that the House Republicans negotiating the agreement “got outsmarted by a President who can’t find his pants.”

But Rep Garret Graves (R - LA), one of the two chief negotiators with the White House, told The Independent that GOP opponents of the deal were being unrealistic and said had they not negotiated the deal, President Joe Biden could have invoked the 14th amendment of the US Constitution for a clean debt limit increase or Democrats and a handful of moderates could have brokered a clean debt limit increase.

“So by doing so all you’re doing is playing into the hands of the White House,” he said. “Because if you keep going down this road, if you keep trying to sew this line, that’s simply not true that there’s some other option out there to save a gazillion dollars, all you’re doing is you’re moving towards default.”

Mr Graves also noted that along with work requirements, the agreement curtailed an increase in funding for the Internal Revenue Service that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act, among other provisions.

“They got schooled,” he said in reference to the Biden administration. He also said that Democratic support for the legislation did not mean that Democrats won in negotiations.

“This is the Democrats trying to put a happy face on it trying to pretend like the President got something and he’s a strong candidate for re-election,” he said. “And the reality is there is nothing in this bill for Democrats. Zero.”

Watch: Hakeem Jeffries discusses debt ceiling deal

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:40 , John Bowden

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House minority leader, spoke at a press conference on Wednesday and urged his colleagues not to allow “the perfect to be the enemy of the good” as they consider whether to support the deal to raise the debt ceiling struck by Joe Biden and Kevin McCarthy.

Sherrod Brown, up for reelection, says he’ll vote yes

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:20 , John Bowden

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who is expecting a tough fight for his red-purple state in 2024, said on Wednesday that he planned to vote yes on the legislation making up the compromise between Kevin McCarthy and Joe Biden.

"We protected Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security and veterans benefits. That was our goal. We succeeded in that. I plan to vote yes,” he told reporters.

Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:00 , John Bowden

Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent.

Mr Biden sent top White House officials to meet early Wednesday at the Capitol to shore up support ahead of voting. Mr McCarthy is working furiously to sell skeptical fellow Republicans, even fending off challenges to his leadership, in the rush to avert a potentially disastrous U.S. default.

Read more in The Independent:

Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support

Jayapal releases statement blasting GOP for not passing clean debt limit extension

Wednesday 31 May 2023 18:40 , John Bowden

Rep Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, addressed her ongoing disapproval of the debt ceiling compromise negotiated by Joe Biden and Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday as she confirmed that she and others on the House’s left wing will oppose the legislation today.

“Let’s remember that this is a crisis manufactured by extreme MAGA Republicans. We should have raised the debt ceiling long ago with no strings attached, but they insisted on cutting assistance for hungry people to keep cash flowing to the wealthiest,” she wrote on Twitter shortly after reporters confirmed her position publicly.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries predicts progressives won’t sink debt deal vote

Wednesday 31 May 2023 18:19 , John Bowden

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke to reporters on Wednesday ahead of the crucial vote on the debt ceiling compromise negotiated between the White House and House Republicans, and predicted that the vote would pass despite opposition from both progressives and some on the far right.

He also said that he personally would support the legislation without hesitation.

“I had a very good conversation with Rep. Pramila Jayapal earlier today. Unity is different from unanimity,” Mr Jeffries said. “We are going to make sure that we avoid a default.”